Older graves are fun because they’re often the places where you learn about seeds getting planted for other, later burials. That’s a clumsy way of putting it, but you’ll see what we mean. John Whitaker was born in Littleborough around 1794. We don’t know who his parents were, only that he and his brother James …
A ne’er-do-well rests here, although whether it was by design or by bad luck is unknown. We can’t know how hard William actually tried. In fact as far as can be figured, William was doing his best. He was born in 1790 at Burnt Acre (right on the border between Erringden and Stansfield, in Eastwood) …
This stone was readable in 2006 but no more; one day we’ll get that fixed, but for now, at least we’re able to tell the stories of those here. This grave in fact links back with another, shorter story- that of John and Mary Scholfield and their granddaughter Mary Halstead. Mary, you see, is the …
Read more “42.53 – John, Sarah, and John Sutcliffe Halstead (turned over)”
This is one of the most frustrating stones at Christ Church. The names here were taken in the 1980s by the ACT team who came through and cleared brush, but between then and 2006, someone built a bloody great retaining wall overtop this stone and the Ogden stone next to it, carelessly (callously, thoughtlessly, extremely …
Read more “43.23 – Ebenezer, William, James and Susan Fielden (inaccessible)”
From meat and sweets to pub landlording; this family made sure quite a few of the town’s basic needs were met. At this grave we first find Edmund Farrar and his two wives, Sarah (Taylor) and Elizabeth (Ibbotson). Both these women came from very different backgrounds. Sarah is a little bit of a mystery – …
Read more “43.54 – Sarah, Elizabeth, Edmund, Arthur and Alice Farrar”
This double plot has two gravestones, and each one names a host of people. It “begins” with Fieldens but also incorporates Hollinrakes, so strap yourselves in for an occasionally convoluted tale of leatherworking, firefighting, early deaths and ripe old ages. Most of all it’s the story of one of the church’s most fierce and loyal …
Read more “43.56 and 43.57 – Thomas and Esther Fielden and family”
From Walsden to Wales – this grand grave holds two generations but the inscription spans three. The story begins with Mary Ogden. Mary was one of many born to her parents, James and Alice (Haigh) of Watty Hole. James died before 1841, and as usual Alice was left being supported by her children. He had …
Read more “43.58 – Mary Ogden and John, Jane and Samuel Fielden”
Servants to their own families..the women in this grave had a roof over the heads, but how hard were their lives? Not as hard as the wear to this stone would make you romantically assume. Yes, we had to “read” much of this stone by hand and by using geneaology resources to be certain of …
Read more “42.55 – Martha, James and Grace Booth, and Sarah Ann Pilling”
Three generations of women in one family rest here, and their story is one of wealth and heartbreak. Mary Hollinrake was born in 1802 in Todmorden to either Samuel and Mary or John and Hannah Hollinrake; unfortunately she was married by banns and so there’s no father’s name on any paperwork. Her marriage came in …
Read more “44.52 – Mary Lord and Mary, Kate, and Amanda Butterworth”
This grave holds two people from very different backgrounds, who both met a sad and early end – and of course, as with so many stories like this, there’s also the story of one person in particular who they left behind… Frank Nuttall, the second person buried here, was the first person born to this …